Even those who can’t quite explain what exactly the cloud is can probably tell you that it is becoming a more and more accepted way to keep sensitive information secure and run applications without using up a lot of a company’s precious resources. Small businesses especially have seen what it can do, and how much it helps considering they don’t have to use their own server space. It is no surprise that a technology that makes it easier, cheaper and faster to facilitate either intra-business or inter-business transactions will catch on quickly. Cisco is basing their numbers off the general growing trend as businesses see what utilizing the cloud can mean for them.

All company owners know what it means to expand

It is normally great because it means your business is growing. However, it also comes with a host of concerns: where will all the power come from when you need to store that much more information as staff continues to go about your daily tasks. Memory, databases, software updates, additional technology add-ons: you need to make sure that your IT is equipped to handle everything that may happen. Unfortunately, with the amount of website failures and security flaws, it shows a lack of forethought for a lot of companies. Transferring things over to the cloud means drastically reducing the risks of something like this happening to you. That’s why powerhouses like General Electric have been putting even more of their computing power into the cloud. In fact, GE has reported that they expect around 70% of their applications will be in the cloud by 2020. One of the CEO’s of Cisco stated that he’s never seen anything like this. Stories like this aren’t generally covered in major media the way, say, new sales for the iPhone would be addressed, but the growth is no less staggering.

Amazon and Microsoft have both seen a huge surge in their cloud usage

With Microsoft saying that it has more than doubled. And this isn’t just for the US, but rather a global shift in the way we do business. Consolidating the information, code and software of countless businesses into one network of servers means increased efficiency. It takes less energy to run major programs when there’s a more centered power source. It also helps that servers have specific functions. The specialization means conserved energy

These types of benefits are driving the spike in numbers that all of the cloud companies are seeing, and what cause Cisco to predict that 86% of all workloads will take place in the cloud. They’re working hard to prepare to take on that extra business so that they’ll be ready. If your company has yet to see what it can do for them, then it may be time to look into the many features that could help you work smarter. You’d certainly be in good company if you did.

Still wondering what the cloud is all about? See how many companies have turned to it to fix their logistical IT problems, and how it could help you too.

About the Author

Katrina is a product specialist for RackSolutions, the market leader for designing and manufacturing custom racking products for the IT industry! You can read more about our company here.